KaytLudi.com

I live in southern Arizona. There was a shooting here this morning by Border Patrol. Local. Immediate.  I clicked on a news article trying to understand what happened — and then I made the mistake of reading the comments. It didn’t take long before reality dissolved completely. People were saying ICE makes them feel safer. Not cautiously. Not with qualifiers. With chest-out confidence. From there, the conversation slid — predictably, inevitably — into a Fox News–approved rerun of the Alex Pretti shooting. Not because it was relevant. Not because it clarified anything about what happened here. But because it’s now a talisman. A loyalty test. A script. One guy even posted the photo of Pretti being disarmed and claimed the agent walking away with the gun was actually Pretti approaching ICE with his weapon drawn. That’s not an interpretation. That’s a complete inversion of what’s visible to the human eye. This is how it works now: One angle. One story. Nothing else allowed. How can you...

Since I’ve written openly about my return to graduate school, I want to take a moment to share an update and acknowledge a change in direction. I’m not in graduate school anymore, for now. This wasn’t a decision I made lightly, and it wasn’t about a lack of interest or commitment. If anything, the desire to keep learning is still very much there. What changed were the logistics — specifically around student loans — and they ultimately made continuing right now impossible. The first issue was available financial aid. I knew I didn’t have enough to realistically cover the program, but updated figures — especially once interest was factored in — meant I wouldn’t even have half. I could have borrowed a small amount, but that leads to the second and much bigger problem: borrowing even a minimal amount would have reactivated my previously discharged student loan debt — over $130,000. That debt was discharged due to disability. To take out new federal student loans now, I would be require...

Every December, I start thinking about the year ahead - not in terms of rigid goals or impossible resolutions, but in terms of how I want the year to feel . For 2026, my word of the year is FlowWard . OK, I know it's not a real word - but I wanted something that embodies both going with the flow but still going forward.  Not forward in the hustle-y, grind-yourself-into-dust sense. And not flow as in drifting aimlessly and hoping things work out. FlowWard is about moving ahead gently, deliberately, and sustainably; making progress without forcing it. Why “FlowWard”? For a long time, productivity felt like pressure to me. Do more. Be faster. Push harder. Keep up. Somewhere along the way, that mindset stopped working. It led to burnout, stalled projects, and the constant feeling that I was behind—even when I was doing a lot.  And that's all before crashing into heap physically and literally getting behind. FlowWard is my rejection of my previous approach. It’s the idea...

Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌 Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kaytspapertrail@gmail.com ✏️ 📓🗒️ 📎✂️ 🖇️ 🗂️ 📝 Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Meister Pen: https://amzn.t...

Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌 Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kaytspapertrail@gmail.com ✏️ 📓🗒️ 📎✂️ 🖇️ 🗂️ 📝 Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Meister Pen: https://amzn.t...

I start school (again) in January, which means—before syllabi, before readings, before even opening my LMS—I’m already stuck on the most important decision of all: what notebook system am I going to use? This should be simple.   It never is. On one side of the debate is a very sensible option: a spiral-bound notebook filled with Cornell notes pages . Clean. Contained. Minimal decisions required once it’s chosen. On the other hand? A full-blown trapper keeper , complete with loose-leaf grid paper, Cornell notes pages, and the unmistakable hum of late-80s academic optimism. And I cannot decide. Option One: The Spiral-Bound Cornell Notebook There is something deeply comforting about a single, spiral-bound notebook. No shuffling papers. No worrying about whether I’ve punched holes correctly. No tragic moment where my notes slide out and scatter across the floor of a coffee shop. Cornell notes, especially, appeal to the part of my brain that wants structure: Main notes on t...

KPT PWM YT Description Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌 Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kaytspapertrail@gmail.com ✏️ 📓🗒️ 📎✂️ 🖇️ 🗂️ 📝 Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Mei...

Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌 Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kaytspapertrail@gmail.com ✏️ 📓🗒️ 📎✂️ 🖇️ 🗂️ 📝 Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Meister Pen: h...

Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kayt.ludi@gmail.com ✏️📓🗒️📎✂️🖇️🗂️ 📝Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Meister Pen: https:...

Surprise! After taking most of this year off from Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, I’ve decided to tiptoe back in — but with a much clearer purpose than before.  I’m returning to these platforms  only to share the things I genuinely love creating and talking about: planner content, study tips, a little peek into my tutoring life, and updates from my Etsy shop, KaytsPaperTrailPress. That’s it. No doomscrolling, no pressure to “be online,” and definitely no politics. I’ve really missed chatting with people who love planning and learning as much as I do, and social media can be a cozy little corner when you set the boundaries that feel right. So that’s what I’m doing; setting boundaries and showing up with intention. If you’re on any of those platforms and want to follow along, I’d love to see you there. And if not, no worries at all — everything I share will still live here on the blog, right where it’s calm and clutter-free. Here’s to finding healthier ways to connect, cr...

Thanks for stopping by Kayt’s Paper Trail! I'm currently using the Hobonichi Weeks as my main planner and love filming planning sessions where we set up the week together. My videos are relaxed, real, and made to feel like you’re planning alongside a friend. If that sounds like your vibe, hit like & subscribe so you don’t miss our weekly hangouts! Thank you SOOOO much for watching 💕 -Kayt ☺ ☕✨🌿 ☕✨🌿 ☕ 📌Stay Connected Website/Blog: http://www.kaytludi.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaytludi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kaytludi.bsky.social NEW Etsy Shop: https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com Email for collaborations: kayt.ludi@gmail.com ✏️📓🗒️📎✂️🖇️🗂️ 📝Supplies I Use in My Planner Videos Below are Amazon affiliate links to the items you’ll see often in my videos (no pressure to use these links!): My 2026 Weeks Sneaker Mega: https://amzn.to/3Kg2nPB Star stickers for my cover: https://amzn.to/4aFm51E Uni Style Fit Meister Pen: https:...

I've been meaning to do it for what seems like forever, but I'm finally on Etsy. You can check out my store at https://kaytspapertrailpress.etsy.com My first item is a Hobonichi Weeks sized full-page list insert to wrangle all the media you want to  remember to consume:   

I've started to post planning videos on my old YouTube channel. Starting in January there will also be videos about grad school related stuff and studying. My channel has been rebranded as Kayt's Paper Trail. Hope you'll check it out (here's the most recent video):  Watch on YouTube

I know this is going to make me sound like a bit of a 'grumpy bunny' ... or more likely an angry old biddy shaking her cane at the whippersnappers on her lawn .... but ... AI is killing my enjoyment of YouTube video consumption.  The voiceovers are the number one culprit. They CONSTANTLY mispronounce certain words, betraying themselves in the process. Yes, I know there are varying accents in the world, and I try never to hate on legit human mispronunciations. There are not only myriad dialects and accents within a language, it's always possible it's the speaker's L2 (or 3 or 4). And I heard somewhere that mispronouncing something often means you learned it by reading it (and reading should always be encouraged!).  And we probably all have at least one word in our native languages that stumped us the first time we read it instead of hearing it. I still remember mine: chaos. I had to read it aloud in class as a child, and I hadn't a clue that such a totally famil...

  With the nightmare that is Trump 2.0 I ask myself on a daily basis whether to stay or go.  Honestly, for reasons I've never known, I've just always assumed I would end my life in a different country than the one in which I was born.  Maybe it's a Sagittarius thing.  Maybe it was the faint shadow of fascism on the horizon I detected back in the Dubbya admin.  Maybe it was the fact my mother was in need of a caregiver for the last 25 years of her life and moving to a country where help could be better-afforded looked appealing.  Maybe it was the fact I fell in love with a European.  Maybe it was the fact I love teaching ESL.  Maybe it was all of that. Maybe it was none of it. I don't know. But considering leaving your country, even wanting to leave it, and feeling forced out are very different things.  As anyone who knows me will tell you, I have never (and will never) respond well to being told what to do (particularly by men).  I'm not...

    My word for 2025 is: Connect.  In the last couple years I've let all my human connections wither, and I should really change that!

  I can barely remember a time when I didn't have a planner, but I know I haven't been without one since I went back to school in 2012. I have one of those brains that spins into overdrive if I don't write down the things I need to do. For several years I've debated buying a Hobonichi Weeks. This year ... I gave in. Despite the 'Hobonichi Day Debacle', I got exactly what I wanted. Having never ordered from Hobonichi before I didn't even realize the chaos wasn't typical. Long story short, I ended up ordering from JetPens the next day. Since I was only getting a few things to try, the $28 shipping from Japan would have made it more expensive than the JetPens' mark-up anyway.  But the point is, all's well that ends well and I'm looking forward to moving into my Weeks asap (come on, November!).

In my search for the proverbial/mythical planner peace, I thought I might like a Hobonichi Weeks. Since it was Feb/Mar at the time, and I already had three other planners I was trying out, I decided to get an undated Fauxbonichi from Amazon for like $8.  Disliking the look of it, I bought a plastic cover and printed off the following insert based on a free dashboard design from Plan With Bee.  Click below to download/print my cover insert - just print it off, trim it down a bit, and insert in the plastic cover. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WnMe2wjLSlKTwuqtW9KL5CDTNRfd1TGZ/view?usp=sharing

So, probably in order to try to tame the chaos of my life, I have been diving deep into the planning world lately. I've been planning for years, eons even, but it used to be strictly functional (which is a polite way of saying my planners were ugly - not that all functional planning is ugly, but MINE WAS).  I would quickly scribble down stuff to be done, with any implement I had on hand, and cross things out and move them around to the point of being indecipherable by anyone but (hopefully) me. All with the no nonsense goal to get it down, get it done, and move on. I never decorated any of them, nor did I keep them for any reason - at the end of the year they went in the trash. But I never found the perfect planner - one that could accommodate every area of my life. And I still have not, so far. Though I am starting to decorate it, journal in it, and plan to keep them from now on. I would love to have a gorgeous BuJo, but I cannot manage to force myself to keep one due to the time ...